In all my readings of the early Church Fathers, all through the councils, etc., I do not remember anyone who was eventually condemned a heretic or even deposed permanently or for a time, forming their own jurisdiction.
I will use the life of my saint, as an example:
St. John Chrysostom....
John drew some opponents who disagreed with him, one who later would go down in history as St. Cyril of Alexandria. His most bitter enemy was the empress Eudoxia. His preaching against the vanity of women and an accusation of his referring to the empress as another "Jezebel" made him very unpopular. The empress conspired with another of his enemies, Archbishop Theophilus of Alexandria, to have John deposed. In 403 Theophilus came to Constantinople with several Egyptian bishops. He gathered around him thirty-six bishops at Chalcedon who agreed to John's deposition. A letter was sent to Emperor Arcadius informing him of this decision along with an accusation of treason in having referred to the empress as a "Jezebel." The emperor issued an order that John be banished.
Glory be to God, that St. John Chrysostom, didn't go out and form his own Church. I am sure that all of us could come up with other examples as well. My question is this....
Is the forming of jurisdictions the residual effect of Protestant mindset infecting those who reside in America as Bishops, Priests, etc.?
That if you are deposed, or censured, then off you go, rather than using appeals or accepting by obedience the bishop's decision.
Why didn't we see this type of activity take place in the early church, before even the first 1000 years?
Why is it so prevalent today? Even the "Traditional Churches", outside of "World Orthodoxy" cannot agree on what is truly Orthodox as they banter about to grab the golden ring as to whom is the "True Church".
This would seem to be more of a Protestant mindset, would it not?
I look forward to your responses and discussion on this topic.
With humble bow,
Rd. Chrysostomos
